Computers forced to speak english

For years, computers have advanced and thrived all over the globe, but starting Fall 2015 at Colorado School of Mines, computers will now be required to speak English.

There are thousands of programming languages and dialects, such as C++, Java, and Fortran which are all offered as courses at CSM. Many students must learn either C++ or Java, but with the development of English-speaking computers and the new bulletin change, only Computer Science students will be required to take programming concepts.

“Computers have developed enough that it is time to take the next step,” said a CSM official. “We are recruiting some of our top graduates from the CS department to program this new language and begin implementing it into the major computing we do here at Mines.”

Instead of the structure that most languages have, programming in English will be structured much in paragraph form. The language will not be much different to simple commands. For example, “Take the average of this list of numbers” will replace having to loop through each element of an array and return the sum divided by the length of the array. The English language will also be helpful in the realm of graphics as the programmer will only need to explicitly describe what he or she is trying to display. There will be no need to set colors and styles, but rather a simple “Make a tic-tac-toe game with a pink background” will suffice.

Others are skeptical on how well both the computers and the students will be able to communicate with each other. “It is a known fact that Mines students and any student majoring in a technical field across the country are unable to communicate effectively, both orally and written,” said one critic. “I fear for our future.”

The LAIS department is excited, and the Writing Center will begin to extend hours in anticipation of students needing help on the programming homework.Overall, CSM officials are excited about what the new change could bring in the coming decades as the language spreads to other technology.